, 1887-02-10
The Attorney Bill Passes the
Senate.
President Signs the Inter State
Commerce Bill.
Appointments of Interest to
Washington Territory.
SENATE.

by Hoar, making it unlawful for
member of congress to accept employ
ment as an attorney in opposition to
the United States in any case to which
the United States may be II party, or
in which its interests may be con-
scrned, or from any subsidized
railroad company, If such member
have cause to believe that measures
specially cilecting the interests of such
railroads are pending before congress,
or are about to be so pending during
his term OF Office. The amendment
(Which is in the nature of substitute to
the original billy was agreed to, yeas 26,
nays 81. The next question was the
amendment offered by Mr.. Salisbury
AZ IL substitute to the substitute re-
ported by the judiciary committee.
Beck argued against Salisbury's
amendment. II that amendment be-
came a law, he said, it was little better
than nothing, but it was so nearly
nothing it was hardly worth while for
the senate to take up time about
it. II allowed any sepator or repre-
sentative to be counsel in all great
suits of these railroad companies.
They might sit in either house with
100000 of money Of the Union Pa
ciiic, the Central Pacific or the North
ern Pacific in their pockets and yet
because they had got no fee in par
ticular in the matter which congress
was considering, although they might
have received fees in other matters
and have been employed on purpose,
without their knowledge and consent
perhaps, they we're to be regarded as
disinterested men. He appealed to
the senate TO take Il fair view of the
bill as presented and as once voted for
and passed in the senate. Let there
not be any evasion on that question
but let them not go before the country
and assume that they were doing
something which was equivalent to
the original bill and which would
reach the evil, while the fact was that
every substitute and amendment sug-
gested was either to make the bill
ridiculous or leave the evil untouched.
AS long as members of congress could
be employed by these railroad corpo-
rations under all sorts of pretenses
(the object being merely to secure
friendship the evil would be left UNI
touched.
Mr.. Hoar characterized the original
bill as grossly unconstitutional, awk-
ward, crude, ill-draw, ill-considered,
ill-conceived scheme which was not
only an insult to the senate but an in
suit to the American people. The bill
was not the outcome OF any popular
or public demand, it came from an
onymous articles published by black
mailers and stock jobbers in irrespon-
sible newspapers. He had heard
enough OF this arrogant, insulting,
domineering style of attempting to
frighten senators from what they con-
sidered their duty.
Mr.. Saulsbury's amendment was re-
jected, yeas, 26; nays, 81.
The committee substitute was re-
Jected, yeas none, nays 54.
The amendment offered by Hoar,
II unlawful for members of con.
gross to hold real estate in the District
of Columbia, except rs residences"
was rejec ted, yeas q, nays 46, the yeas
being Butler, Hale, Hoar, Pugh, Tel
Ter and Payne.
Finally Hoar's first amendment,
slightly modified, was adopted as
substitute, yeas 32, nays 2l, and then
the bill in that shape was reported to
the senate, the proceedings up to this
point being in the committee OF the
whole.
Beck moved his original bill
as substitute and it was rejected,
yeas IL, nays 80.
A modification of Platt's amend
ment was offered by Aldrich and it
was defeated. Yeas, 10; nays, 80.
At this stage Of the proceedings
Teller rose and expressed his intention
Of voting against the bill. 1t had been
that those who were opposed to this
class OF legislation were dishonest.
Beck Gnterupting). That is not
true. That is absolutely untrue.
Teller (procee1ing without needing
the interruption), said that those who
were opposed to this legislation had
been told in substance they wanted
of the senate to have their
pockets full of money of great corpor-
atlons that they wanted senators to-
have that in their pockets which could
corrupt and destroy their judgments.
The senator (Beck) said this statement
was untrue. He did not say that the
honorable senator had said in words
that those who opposed the bill were
The honorable senator's
statement that this legislation was re-
sisted because its opponents wanted
some senators to come into the body
having money of corporations in their
pockets.
Beck-That is quite as untrue. /
never said that.
Mr.. Teller-"If he did not my ears
are of but little value and ] could have
heard but imperfectly what he said to-
day on that subject. do not need any
legislation to keep me honest-to keep